US9221047B2 - Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources - Google Patents

Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US9221047B2
US9221047B2 US13/265,720 US201013265720A US9221047B2 US 9221047 B2 US9221047 B2 US 9221047B2 US 201013265720 A US201013265720 A US 201013265720A US 9221047 B2 US9221047 B2 US 9221047B2
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
substrate
liquid
starting
pyroelectric
top surface
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related, expires
Application number
US13/265,720
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
US20120112070A1 (en
Inventor
Pietro Ferraro
Sara Coppola
Veronica Vespini
Simonetta Grilli
Melania Paturzo
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche CNR
Original Assignee
Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche CNR
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche CNR filed Critical Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche CNR
Assigned to CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE reassignment CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: COPPOLA, SARA, FERRARO, PIETRO, GRILLI, SIMONETTA, PATURZO, MELANIA, VESPINI, VERONICA
Publication of US20120112070A1 publication Critical patent/US20120112070A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US9221047B2 publication Critical patent/US9221047B2/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0241—Drop counters; Drop formers
    • B01L3/0262—Drop counters; Drop formers using touch-off at substrate or container
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
    • B01L3/02—Burettes; Pipettes
    • B01L3/0241—Drop counters; Drop formers
    • B01L3/0268—Drop counters; Drop formers using pulse dispensing or spraying, eg. inkjet type, piezo actuated ejection of droplets from capillaries
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
    • B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
    • B41J2/00—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed
    • B41J2/005—Typewriters or selective printing mechanisms characterised by the printing or marking process for which they are designed characterised by bringing liquid or particles selectively into contact with a printing material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01J—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
    • B01J2219/00—Chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general; Their relevant apparatus
    • B01J2219/00274—Sequential or parallel reactions; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making arrays; Chemical library technology
    • B01J2219/00277—Apparatus
    • B01J2219/00351—Means for dispensing and evacuation of reagents
    • B01J2219/00378—Piezoelectric or ink jet dispensers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
    • B01L2300/08—Geometry, shape and general structure
    • B01L2300/0809—Geometry, shape and general structure rectangular shaped
    • B01L2300/0819—Microarrays; Biochips
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
    • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
    • B01L2400/0403—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces
    • B01L2400/0415—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
    • B01L2400/00—Moving or stopping fluids
    • B01L2400/04—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means
    • B01L2400/0403—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces
    • B01L2400/0442—Moving fluids with specific forces or mechanical means specific forces thermal energy, e.g. vaporisation, bubble jet
    • B01L2400/0448—Marangoni flow; Thermocapillary effect

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns an electro-dynamical dispenser of liquids in micro-/nano volumes based on the pyroelectric effect in functionalized materials without using an external electrical field.
  • the present invention concerns the production and the distribution of pico and nano-drops which are extracted, by the effect of a strong electric field generated by pyroelectric effect, in particular, but not exclusively, by a sessile drop (a drop placed on a surface assumes a form named “sessile”) or by a liquid film, and distributed on a dielectric substrate.
  • the electric field is advantageously generated by applying a heat source on the substrate of interest or utilizing a laser source emitting at infrared region.
  • a variety of functions, useful in micro-fluid and opto-fluid systems such as the adaptation of the liquid meniscus form, the spatial geometric modulation or “patterning”, the shifting and drop formation [1-5-19], may be performed by different approaches, for example the “electro-wetting” (EW) or the thermo-capillary [2-20-21].
  • EW electro-wetting
  • thermo-capillary thermo-capillary
  • microfluidic systems are essentially based on hydrodynamic forces whereas the approaches assisted by electric field became more and more popular only recently, due to their advanced flexibility and their additional functionality [22-23].
  • the formation of micro- or nano-liter drops caused by electric field is useful in electro-spray mass spectroscopy, injkjet printing, biomolecular manipulation [16] that furnishes a so-called “on demand” distribution of material [7-15].
  • EHD electro-dynamic approach
  • the EHD method requires the application of high voltages (e.g. in the “e-jet printing”), usually between the nozzle and the distribution plate, so as to allow the flow of fluid and its distribution on the substrate under examination.
  • photo-lithographic methods are not easily used for such materials and, in the current situation, methods are not available that are characterized by high flexibility, simplicity and low cost, so as to permit easy change in the type of structure to be realized.
  • the first of the three previous mentioned works demonstrates the creation of a group of little drops spatially arranged on a surface starting from a liquid film. These drops function as a lens.
  • the second work demonstrates the use of such drops for non-optical purposes, for example for chemical and biological experimentation at nano-metric levels.
  • the third work demonstrates the mentioned creation of drops starting, this time, from a liquid polymer by means of a thermal stimulus.
  • This thermal stimulus simultaneously provides for the “linking” of the same polymer, impressing a regular geometric configuration (“pattern”) to the polymer, and thus a lithographic method is obtained, in such a way.
  • It is the object of the present invention is to provide a method for the distribution of pico- or nanodrops of a material on a dielectric substrate, that solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
  • An additional specific object of the present invention is an apparatus that uses the method object of the invention.
  • An additional specific object of the present invention is the use of the apparatus, object of the invention, for printing.
  • the subject-matter of the present invention is a method for the controlled distribution of pico- or nano-volumes of a liquid, comprising the step of:
  • the pyroelectric surface has been obtained modifying its wettability.
  • the mentioned pyroelectric substrate is Lithium Niobate z-cut or Lithium Tantalate.
  • the heating is performed selectively on the surface of the pyroelectric substrate.
  • the heating is effected by infrared Laser or any source of electromagnetic radiation.
  • the heating is effected by means of a movable heated tip.
  • the pyroelectric substrate has been functionalized by creating periodic polarized structures, in correspondence of which one has deposed sessile drops, to obtain a surface charge distribution with charge having alternated sign and pre-defined geometry.
  • the movable heat source is moved in such a way that, when the off-the-axis distribution angles of the liquid are larger than a threshold value ⁇ that is function of the liquid type, of the material on which the sessile drop is put down and of the type of electric charge distribution on the pyroelectric substrate, the sessile drop moves, whilst when the off-the-axis distribution angle is smaller than said threshold value, the sessile drop keep fixed and the liquid can be distributed within this cone having apex angle ⁇ .
  • a threshold value ⁇ that is function of the liquid type, of the material on which the sessile drop is put down and of the type of electric charge distribution on the pyroelectric substrate
  • the laser beam is separated in such a way that a plurality of spatially separated beams incise simultaneously on the pyroelectric substrate, thus creating a simultaneous emission of liquid from multiple sessile drops or different points of the liquid film.
  • the wettability is with poling processes and thermal stimuli.
  • the pyroelectric substrate is the destination substrate.
  • the liquid to be distributed is any liquid which reacts to an applied electrical field, in particular chosen in the group consisting of: almond oil, poly-dimethyl-siloxane (PDMS).
  • PDMS poly-dimethyl-siloxane
  • a PDMS liquid layer is put down on the starting substrate, creating, on the destination substrate, through its selective heating hanging drops in correspondence of the surface hexagons of the same pyroelectric substrate.
  • the starting substrate is glass.
  • the starting substrate is the pyroelectric substrate.
  • the starting and destination substrates are pyroelectric, being both heated, therefore, they receive the liquid from the surface of the opposite substrate.
  • Further specific subject-matter of the present invention is a method for the controlled distribution of pico- or nano-volumes of a liquid, comprising the step of:
  • Additional specific object of the present invention is a device for the controlled distribution of pico- or nano-volumes of a liquid, comprising:
  • the device comprises a third substrate, that is dielectric, the second substrate being interposed in a movable way parallel to said third substrate, so as to intercept the liquid being distributed, in such a case the surface of the destination substrate is set at a distance D calculated between the surface of the starting substrate and the surface of the interposed substrate.
  • the starting substrate includes through micro-holes and micro-tubes for dosing the distribution liquid in the sessile drops.
  • the liquid is sucked by suction channels if an immediate interruption of the distribution is wished.
  • the destination substrate surface is set at a distance D from the starting substrate surface by means of electrically insulating spacers.
  • FIG. 1 shows in (a) and (b) a diagram of the apparatus according to the invention, in two different embodiments of invention; in (c) a bi-dimensional plot of the electric field lines (left) and of electric potential (right) obtained with by a finite-elements simulation method of finished elements; in (d) a typical liquid bridge and in (e)-(f) typical discharges of the liquid, respectively, with almond oil and PDMS;
  • FIG. 2 shows: in (a) a sequence of different discharges of distribution in case of liquid film and thermal stimulus inducted through by the heated tip; in (b) a sequence of different discharges of distribution in case of sessile drops and thermal stimulus inducted through by infrared laser; in (c) a plot of the volume transfer percentage concerning the FIG. 2( a ) (square box) and a plot of the height variation during the time (principal plot); in (d) a plot of the volume transfer percentage concerning the FIG. 2( b ) (square) and a plot of the height variation during the time (principal plot);
  • FIG. 3 shows the functionality of the “dispenser gun”: discharge at angled direction, distribution of liquid and lateral simultaneous shifting, liquid linear patterning in different positions, and specifically in:
  • FIG. 4 shows more implemented functionalities: multiple distribution and transport and “dispenser gun” activation for the distribution of high capacity by means of laser scanning on the LN surface, in particular:
  • FIG. 5 shows the pico-liter distribution on micro-engineered LN substrate, and in particular:
  • FIGS. 1( a ) and 1 ( b ) The apparatus according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 1( a ) and 1 ( b ).
  • a liquid drop 150 or a liquid film is deposed on a slide 110 , while an upper plate 120 is at a distance D from the slide by electrically isolated spacers 140 .
  • the upper plate 120 is a z-cut LN wafer (Lithium Niobate) (see section of methods for details concerning the preparation), for example of 500 ⁇ m of thickness.
  • the spacers can be more or less thermally conductors, allowing a greater or lesser activation of the drops (see later on).
  • laser CO2 infrared source
  • the heated tip source 130 ′ is in contact with a LN crystal 120 ( FIG. 1( b )).
  • the laser and the tip can be moved so as to induce local punctiform point-like thermal stimuli.
  • the distance between the slide 110 and the plate 120 is, for example, of 1 mm.
  • the z-cut LN crystal reacts to the thermal stimuli by forming an electric potential through its two surfaces (z+, z ⁇ ) due to the piezoelectric effect.
  • the pyroelectric effect consists in the change of spontaneous polarisation ⁇ Ps consequent to a temperature variation ⁇ T [29].
  • the crystal Ps is completely screened by the charge of external shield and no electric field exists.
  • the electric field has an attractive force on a liquid as shown in FIG. 1( c ).
  • the electric potential is due to the electric effect induced on the streamlined substrate by the thermal stimuli operated by the heated tip.
  • thin jets of liquid can be released by a conical tip structure (similar to the Taylor cone usually utilized in the electro-spray; nevertheless, in the present case, the liquid is not conductive, consequently there is not exactly the Taylor cone regime) [15-16-17].
  • This angle is univocally defined both by the liquid cone generated by a drop and by the liquid cone generated by a liquid film, the starting angle being always measured with respect to the substrate or the surface of the remaining liquid parallel to the substrate (see i.e. FIGS. 1 ( e ) and 2 ( b )).
  • FIG. 1( d ) A typical liquid bridge is shown in FIG. 1( d ).
  • the different contact angles at the upper and lower solid-liquid interfaces are to be noted, what is indicative that the liquid bridge is formed between the two materials with different wettability properties.
  • the second case (II) is more important: if the separation D is over the critical value, a stable liquid bridge cannot be stabilised between the plates.
  • the present invention has been reached by searching a way for using this instability with the aim of dosing and distributing the liquid drops.
  • FIGS. 1( e ) and 1 ( f ) the typical situations of liquid discharge for two different liquids are shown, almond oil and PDMS (poly-dimethyl-siloxane) respectively. Due to the high viscosity, the emission liquid cone is continuous.
  • FIGS. 2( a ) and 2 ( b ) demonstrate the distribution of almond oil nano-liter drops from a liquid film and from a sessile drops reservoir, respectively (see methods section).
  • a heated tip has been utilized, whereas, for the sessile drop, the heating has been stimulated by the laser in the infrared zone.
  • the dynamic evolution shows the liquid deformation in both the situations and it is possible to observe from the sequences (not shown) how the film and the drop heights grow under the EHD force action.
  • FIGS. 2( c ) and 2 ( d ) traces of liquid volumes transferred from the substrate as a function of time (square) and the height change (principal plot) during the discharge are shown.
  • the rate is approximately equal to 30 nL/ms.
  • the total volume transferred to the pending drop is 160 nL.
  • the drop acts as a dispenser gun with a rate of repetition that depends on the liquid response to the EHD force. It can be observed that, after the formation of the Taylor cone, in order to permit the first discharge, the dispenser gun shoots periodically liquid drops if the electric field is still active. The period of discharge has been of 50 ms. The cycle is repeated few times during the cooling.
  • FIG. 2( b ) which has been obtained utilising a CO 2 laser (but a similar result can be obtained other laser or other electromagnetic radiation sources) it is possible to proceed to the complete extraction of the liquid from the drop reservoir. This fact could be due to the improved mechanism of heating efficiency.
  • the initial volume was of 180 nL while the total final volume transferred to the photogram in FIG. 2( b ) was 164 nL and the remaining drop was 16 nL.
  • the discharge period has been of 200 ms while the volume transferred in each discharge has been estimated to be 3 nL.
  • the movement of the heated tip or of the laser permits, for example, to change the emission direction of a drop in a large solid angle as shown in FIG. 3( a ).
  • the region with the highest electric field follows the tip movement.
  • Angles of discharge out of axis reach in this case values until about 20°. This may give the possibility to dispense liquids in an area of 23 mm 2 even if the reservoir drop maintains a fixed position. More large angles imply movement of the reservoir drop, as described in the following.
  • the “dispenser gun” is moved at the same time as it is discharged in a continuous manner allowing the liquid patterning. In this case it is important to select conditions in which dragging the drop in different positions is possible, as described in the following.
  • the “dispenser gun” can be easily moved, by simply moving the heated tip. Nevertheless, in the first case the sessile drop starts to move only at a critical angle. Indeed, the asymmetric deformation experimented by the drop, under the non-axial electric force, generates an unbalance of the solid-liquid interfaces tensions with a net resulting force (see FIG. 3( b )) that pushes forward the drop. This unbalance causes the drop displacement similarly to the thermocapillarity where the thermal gradient causes the loss of balance of the solid-liquid tensions. In FIG. 3( b ), how the drop movement permits the pattering is shown, by the drops distribution from the reservoir drop in three different position along a single scanning line.
  • FIG. 3( c ) shows the lateral movements (x-axis) until 1.6 mm without distribution axis interruption, and 1 mm along the y axis (the shifting along the y axis is observable since the liquid cone is better brought in focus in the final frame (base) with respect to the out-of-focus third position that is observed in the first (upper) frame).
  • a more enhancing function of the present invention is the harmonic combination of the distribution function synchronised with the drops transport, at the same time as they are continuously formed, function that is shown in the sequence of FIG. 4( a ).
  • the sequence of images in FIG. 4( a ) clearly shows the formation and the synchronised transport, on the destination substrate, of three different drops in straight line on the right side. These drops can be easily collected and managed in a microfluidic system.
  • This function may be successfully improved by selecting in an appropriate manner the position of the thermal stimuli (heated tip, in this case).
  • the beauty of the physical phenomenon is that the process seems to be auto-organised as a function of two different physical effects: EHD and thermocapillarity, but activated by an only single external stimulus. The lateral shift is activated by thermocapillarity, that pushes the drops towards colder regions (in our case left and right sides) (see FIG. 4( a )).
  • the reason why in the shown experiment the x direction is preferred depends on the geometric design of the cell.
  • the upper substrate LN is in contact with the glass at the +x and ⁇ x ends (therefore the heating exchange with the glass is larger than in air).
  • the contact with the glass permits a heat exchange that is higher along this direction than in the y direction.
  • +x and ⁇ x sides are equivalent but if the heated tip source is not symmetrically positioned, in axis, with respect to the bottom of the reservoir drop, the liquid discharges have a moment with horizontal components that dynamically pushes the liquid preferably along the axis of the device (right side).
  • the angle in this case, is clearly visible from the image and it is of about 11° with respect to the normal at the substrate.
  • the laser beam has been directed at three different reservoir drops (see FIG. 4( c )) stored on a glassy substrate. The drops have been sequentially activated. An elevated distribution of volume is possible by separating the laser beam so as to obtain a parallel emission from many “dispenser guns” (thus accelerating the distribution process).
  • This regular structure permits to form some cones starting from the liquid that will spread itself exactly over and in correspondence of the hexagons.
  • a liquid PDMS layer has been spread over the glassy substrate.
  • thermal stimuli in a flexible manner through the use of a laser or large heating
  • the formation of three tank drops has been demonstrated in correspondence of the hexagons having a lateral separation of 200 micrometers.
  • PDMS is more viscous
  • liquid filament and unstable liquid bridges have been formed [30], as clearly visible in FIG. 5( a ).
  • 400 pL of pending drops have been clearly distributed in the exact position corresponding to the geometry of the PPLN sample (see FIG. 5( a )).
  • the system according to the invention can be utilized in different configuration so as to permit the drops distribution and their patterning.
  • a single or multiple “dispenser gun” can be obtained from one or more thank drops, preliminary obtained by processes of wettability modelling (spatial modulation of poling or thermal stimulus) on the lower substrate.
  • the substrate to be modelled is not the same dielectric polar functionalized crystal.
  • the substrate on which the liquid is laid down could be a dielectric plate (so as to avoid field perturbations) or film 160 inserted between the glass 110 and LN 120 , in order to intercept the liquid drops as shown in FIG. 5( b ).
  • a geometric design may be obtained as formed by the separated drops even with the substrate shift, as shown in figure. In principle, every geometrical figure can be realized.
  • the glassy plate 110 may house through micro-pores 190 and micro-tubes 180 to dose the distribution liquid in the reservoir drops. Besides, the liquid may be sucked from aspiration ducts if one wishes the immediate interruption of the distribution action.
  • the actual level of technology will allow, by means of computer and control electronics, the total implementation of this integrated configuration of the method according to the invention for distributing and modelling a liquid material.
  • the two starting and destination surfaces are both pyroelectric surfaces, so as to create a reciprocal distribution of the liquid between the two surfaces. This may be useful in mixing processes.
  • the z-cut LN crystals show uniform polarisation.
  • the spontaneous polarisation of LN crystals can be reversed by a polarisation process with electric field (EFP) [25], thus allowing the fabrication of periodically polarised LN crystals (PPLN).
  • EFP electric field
  • An external tension that goes over the coercive field of the material (about 21 kW/1 mm) has been necessary to invert the ferroelectric domains and the inversion selectivity is usually assured by an appropriate model of resist generated by photo-lithography.
  • FIG. 5( a ) the image obtained at the optical microscope of two PPLN samples produced by the same Inventors by “Electric Field Poling” (EFP) is shown.
  • the samples consist in a square matrix of bulk reversed domains with a period of about 200 micrometers along both the x and y directions.
  • the pyroelectric coefficient sign is reversed according to the inverted ferroelectric domains [29].
  • the power modulation in the range of 0-100% has been possible thanks to an external tension of 0-5 V.
  • the laser beam diameter has been of 4 mm.
  • the beam can be focused through suitable lens so as to obtain the desired beam dimension in the diffraction range of about half wave length (5 micrometer).
  • the laser has been assembled on a x-y translational stage.
  • the sphere head was about 25 cm apart from the LN sample.
  • a simple tip has been utilized for heated welding/soldering.
  • the diameter was of 1 mm.
  • the maximum operative temperature was 250° C.
  • the temperature has been measured by a temperature probe (thermocouple) in order to have a preliminary indication of the maximum temperature reached on both LN crystal faces.
  • the measurement equipment is composed by a white lamp, a neutral density filter and a lens of images formation for visualising in a high rate CMOS camera the process of Taylor cone deformation and the drops ejection.
  • the CMOS camera capturing 125 frame each second at the 1280 ⁇ 1024 resolution with pixel area of 12 ⁇ 12 micrometer, is utilized with two different lens for comprehending the fundamental dynamic of this process.
  • the method according to the present invention is applied in many industrial, scientific and technological fields; the nano-drops production is, in fact, of principal interest, for example, in all the sectors that treat ink-jet printing, distribution or deposition of organic, inorganic or biological inks, micro-fluids, electrospray, drug delivery, and combinatory chemistry.
  • the particularity of the method, according to the invention is the great flexibility that characterises the configuration lacking in electrodes in which the electric forces are generated by the heating induced by the utilized source directly on the interested substrate.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)
  • Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
  • External Artificial Organs (AREA)
US13/265,720 2009-04-22 2010-04-21 Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources Expired - Fee Related US9221047B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITRM09A0187 2009-04-22
ITRM2009A000187A IT1393855B1 (it) 2009-04-22 2009-04-22 Dispensatore elettrodinamico di liquidi in quantita' micro/nano-litriche basato sull'effetto piroelettrico in materiali funzionalizzati, senza l'impiego di sorgenti elettriche esterne.
ITRM2009A000187 2009-04-22
PCT/IT2010/000172 WO2010122592A1 (fr) 2009-04-22 2010-04-21 Dispositif de distribution contrôlée de micro ou nanovolumes de liquide sur base de l'effet piézoélectrique dans des matériaux fonctionnalisés et sans recours à des sources électriques externes

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20120112070A1 US20120112070A1 (en) 2012-05-10
US9221047B2 true US9221047B2 (en) 2015-12-29

Family

ID=42088857

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/265,720 Expired - Fee Related US9221047B2 (en) 2009-04-22 2010-04-21 Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US9221047B2 (fr)
EP (1) EP2421650B1 (fr)
IT (1) IT1393855B1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2010122592A1 (fr)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20160008813A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2016-01-14 Siemens Healthcare Diagnostic Inc. Microfluidic distributing device
US10105701B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-10-23 Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. Microfluidic distributing device

Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4053806A (en) * 1974-09-02 1977-10-11 U.S. Philips Corporation Pyroelectric detector comprising nucleating material wettable by aqueous solution of pyroelectric material
US5108576A (en) * 1988-06-13 1992-04-28 Ohmicron Corporation Pyroelectric thermometric device
US5477249A (en) 1991-10-17 1995-12-19 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus and method for forming images by jetting recording liquid onto an image carrier by applying both vibrational energy and electrostatic energy
US6062668A (en) * 1996-12-12 2000-05-16 Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc. Drop detector for ink jet apparatus
EP1477230A1 (fr) 2002-02-21 2004-11-17 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Dispositif de projection de fluide a microdiametre
EP1550556A1 (fr) 2002-09-24 2005-07-06 Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. Procede de production d'une tete distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique, procede de production d'une plaque a buses, procede de commande d'une tete distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique, appareil distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique et appareil distribuant du liquide
US20050196322A1 (en) * 2004-01-29 2005-09-08 Bryan Truex Apparatus, system, and method of detecting an analyte utilizing pyroelectric technology
US7438859B2 (en) * 2003-12-31 2008-10-21 Protedyne Corporation Method and apparatus for laser impulse sample deposition
US7670560B2 (en) * 2005-04-29 2010-03-02 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Droplet transport system and methods
US20110086365A1 (en) * 2008-04-02 2011-04-14 Vivacta Ltd. Method for Sensing a Chemical
US20110242162A1 (en) * 2010-03-31 2011-10-06 Seiko Epson Corporation Liquid ejecting apparatus
US20120028342A1 (en) * 2009-03-24 2012-02-02 Ismagilov Rustem F Slip chip device and methods
US20120220023A1 (en) * 2009-09-03 2012-08-30 Vivacta Ltd. Analysis device with transducer stiffening elements
US20120231488A1 (en) * 2009-09-03 2012-09-13 Vivacta Ltd. Fluid sample collection device
US20140119995A1 (en) * 2011-04-06 2014-05-01 Vivacta Limited Device for detecting an analyte

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4053806A (en) * 1974-09-02 1977-10-11 U.S. Philips Corporation Pyroelectric detector comprising nucleating material wettable by aqueous solution of pyroelectric material
US5108576A (en) * 1988-06-13 1992-04-28 Ohmicron Corporation Pyroelectric thermometric device
US5477249A (en) 1991-10-17 1995-12-19 Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha Apparatus and method for forming images by jetting recording liquid onto an image carrier by applying both vibrational energy and electrostatic energy
US6062668A (en) * 1996-12-12 2000-05-16 Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc. Drop detector for ink jet apparatus
EP1477230A1 (fr) 2002-02-21 2004-11-17 National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Dispositif de projection de fluide a microdiametre
EP1550556A1 (fr) 2002-09-24 2005-07-06 Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc. Procede de production d'une tete distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique, procede de production d'une plaque a buses, procede de commande d'une tete distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique, appareil distribuant du liquide du type a attraction electrostatique et appareil distribuant du liquide
US7438859B2 (en) * 2003-12-31 2008-10-21 Protedyne Corporation Method and apparatus for laser impulse sample deposition
US20050196322A1 (en) * 2004-01-29 2005-09-08 Bryan Truex Apparatus, system, and method of detecting an analyte utilizing pyroelectric technology
US7670560B2 (en) * 2005-04-29 2010-03-02 Georgia Tech Research Corporation Droplet transport system and methods
US20110086365A1 (en) * 2008-04-02 2011-04-14 Vivacta Ltd. Method for Sensing a Chemical
US20120028342A1 (en) * 2009-03-24 2012-02-02 Ismagilov Rustem F Slip chip device and methods
US20120220023A1 (en) * 2009-09-03 2012-08-30 Vivacta Ltd. Analysis device with transducer stiffening elements
US20120231488A1 (en) * 2009-09-03 2012-09-13 Vivacta Ltd. Fluid sample collection device
US20110242162A1 (en) * 2010-03-31 2011-10-06 Seiko Epson Corporation Liquid ejecting apparatus
US20140119995A1 (en) * 2011-04-06 2014-05-01 Vivacta Limited Device for detecting an analyte

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
Ferraro et al., "Wettability patterning of lithium niobate substrate by modulating pyroelectric effect to form microarray of sessile droplets," Applied Physics Letters (2008) 92:213107-1-213107-3.
Maeda et al., "Evaporation and instabilities of microscopic capillary bridges," PNAS (2003) 100(3):803-808.

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20160008813A1 (en) * 2013-03-15 2016-01-14 Siemens Healthcare Diagnostic Inc. Microfluidic distributing device
US9416776B2 (en) * 2013-03-15 2016-08-16 Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. Microfluidic distributing device
US10105701B2 (en) 2013-03-15 2018-10-23 Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc. Microfluidic distributing device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1393855B1 (it) 2012-05-11
ITRM20090187A1 (it) 2010-10-23
WO2010122592A1 (fr) 2010-10-28
EP2421650A1 (fr) 2012-02-29
EP2421650B1 (fr) 2015-06-10
US20120112070A1 (en) 2012-05-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
Ferraro et al. Dispensing nano–pico droplets and liquid patterning by pyroelectrodynamic shooting
Onses et al. Mechanisms, capabilities, and applications of high‐resolution electrohydrodynamic jet printing
Lee Microdrop generation
Li et al. Splitting a droplet for femtoliter liquid patterns and single cell isolation
US20190160478A1 (en) Avoidance of bouncing and splashing in droplet-based fluid transport
Ru et al. A review of non-contact micro-and nano-printing technologies
Ding et al. Surface acoustic wave microfluidics
Bachus et al. Fabrication of patterned superhydrophobic/hydrophilic substrates by laser micromachining for small volume deposition and droplet-based fluorescence
Sutanto et al. Electrohydrodynamic jet printing of micro-optical devices
Yuan et al. Ultrasonic tweezer for multifunctional droplet manipulation
Ji et al. Bioinspired geometry-gradient metal slippery surface by one-step laser ablation for continuous liquid directional self-transport
Yan et al. Optically guided pyroelectric manipulation of water droplet on a superhydrophobic surface
Fritzler et al. 3D printing methods for micro-and nanostructures
Zhang et al. Inkjet printing in liquid environments
Tang et al. Field-induced wettability gradients for no-loss transport of oil droplets on slippery surfaces
Mecozzi et al. Easy printing of high viscous microdots by spontaneous breakup of thin fibers
Zhang et al. Photovoltaic cycling to-and-fro actuation of a water-microdroplet for automatic repeatable solute acquisition on oil-infused hydrophobic LN: Fe surface
Anyfantakis et al. Evaporative optical Marangoni assembly: tailoring the three-dimensional morphology of individual deposits of nanoparticles from sessile drops
Han et al. Noncontact charge shielding knife for liquid microfluidics
US9221047B2 (en) Device for controlled distribution of micro- or nano-volumes of a liquid based on the piezoelectric effect in functionalized materials, without using external electric sources
Yu et al. Surface-charge-assisted microdroplet generation on a superhydrophobic surface
Vinay et al. Separation of floating oil drops based on drop-liquid substrate interfacial tension
Peng et al. Active droplet transport induced by moving meniscus on a slippery magnetic responsive micropillar array
Vespini et al. Milking liquid nano-droplets by an IR laser: a new modality for the visualization of electric field lines
CN114177958B (zh) 一种高通量均匀液滴阵列制备方法及微结构阵列芯片

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE, ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:FERRARO, PIETRO;COPPOLA, SARA;VESPINI, VERONICA;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:027493/0638

Effective date: 20111201

ZAAA Notice of allowance and fees due

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: NOA

ZAAB Notice of allowance mailed

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: MN/=.

ZAAA Notice of allowance and fees due

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: NOA

STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED CASE

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: SURCHARGE FOR LATE PAYMENT, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2554); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

MAFP Maintenance fee payment

Free format text: PAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEE, 4TH YR, SMALL ENTITY (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: M2551); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

Year of fee payment: 4

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: MAINTENANCE FEE REMINDER MAILED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: REM.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED FOR FAILURE TO PAY MAINTENANCE FEES (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: EXP.); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: SMALL ENTITY

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362

FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 20231229